Quinoa Salad with Curried Chickpeas, Cashews, & Kale

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About:

  • Along with maize, quinoa was one of the two mainstay foods for the Inca Empire
  • Quinoa is not a grain.  It is a seed that is harvested from a plant called goosefoot 
  • Quinoa can cook like a grain, a great benefit as it provides many nutrients that are largely absent from most grains (e.g. more protein, health supportive fats, and significant amounts of Vitamin E)

Nutrient Profile:

  • Protein
  • Fiber
  • Antioxidants
  • Anti-inflammatory polysaccharides
  • Manganese
  • Phosphorus
  • Copper
  • Magnesium
  • Folate
  • Zinc

Health benefits:

  • Anti-inflammatory benefits
  • Antioxidants
  • Diabetes type-2 risk reduction
  • Decreased risk of allergy

Selection and Storage:

  • Most common type of quinoa you will find in the store has an off-white color
  • Red and black varieties are becoming more available.  The red and black varieties have additional antioxidants in the form of anthocyanins.  My favorite type of quinoa is the “Rainbow” quinoa, a blend of the white, red, and black!
  • Store in airtight container; will keep for longer (3-6 months) if stored in refrigerator

Here’s a delicious recipe for you!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1 3/4 cups vegetable stock or water
  • 15 oz can of chickpeas
  • 1/2 cup raw cashew nuts
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp olive oil 1 bunch kale, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 1/4 red onion
  • 1/2 jalapeño
  • 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 bunch fresh mint
  • 1 fresh lime
  • 1/3 cup golden raisins
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • Salt
  • Black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

To start, cook the quinoa. Toast the quinoa in a dry skillet or pot for a few minutes. Next, add the stock and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid. Let cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. Keep covered and let rest for about 10 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.

Next, mix the cashews with the oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the curry powder and salt. Toss to fully coat the nuts with the curry powder. Do the same with the chickpeas (making sure they are rinsed, drained and dried before tossing). Lay out the cashews on one half of baking tray and the chickpeas on the other half. Place into the oven and roast until just lightly toasted. The chickpeas will take a little longer than the cashews so you may need to remove them first.

To prepare the vegetables, first wash and dry the kale. Next, separate the stems from the leaves of the kale. Finely shred the leaves. Next, finely dice the celery, red onion and jalapeño. Chop the cilantro and mint.

Zest the lime and squeeze to remove the juice.

To assemble the salad, place the quinoa into a large shallow bowl and toss with the kale, celery, onion, jalapeño, lime (zest and juice), raisins, cilantro, mint, garam masala, salt and pepper. Gently toss to coat. Taste for seasoning, and add salt and pepper as needed. Lastly, lightly fold in the cashews and chickpeas.

I truly hope you enjoy this recipe and that it helps you live a healthier life.  I would absolutely love to hear from you, so please leave a comment below and let me know what you think.  If you enjoyed this post, share it with your friends and family!

Lots of love,

Judith

The above recipe is courtesy of Reshma Shah, a pediatrician and mom who is passionate about the benefits of a plant based diet.  This year we have launched an exciting collaboration with Soul Food Salon.  Each week, we feature a delicious, seasonal, and nutritious ingredient.  We not only tell you a bit about it and all of the nutrition it represents, but also we provide you with a recipe so you can cook it at home.  Please share pictures of your meals on Instagram using the hashtag #SoulFoodSalon.  We can’t wait to learn and cook with you!